The window between tax season and the first warm weekend is shorter than you think. Smart operators are locking in their vendor relationships and payment infrastructure now.

Why February Is the Real Start of Event Season

By the time April hits, you're already behind. The venues and production companies that run smooth spring seasons aren't scrambling in March—they're building their vendor roster, payment workflows, and budgets right now.

Spring 2026 is shaping up to be big. Rooftop openings, outdoor food markets, music series, corporate offsite season, and wedding bookings are all ramping up earlier than usual. If your vendor payment process still involves emailing invoices back and forth and cutting checks on Fridays, you're going to feel it.

The Pre-Season Vendor Checklist

Here's what to get locked in before your first event of the season.

1. Audit Your Vendor List

Pull up every vendor and contractor you worked with last season. Ask yourself:

• Are you bringing them back? Have rates changed?

• Do you have current W-9s on file for each one?

• Are their insurance certificates up to date?

• Have any changed their business structure (LLC to sole prop, new EIN)?

Outdated vendor records cause payment delays and compliance issues. A 20-minute audit now saves hours of back-and-forth later.

2. Onboard New Vendors Early

Every spring brings new relationships. Maybe you're switching florists, adding a new security company, or bringing on a production crew for a rooftop series. Get them into your system before the first gig.

Onboarding should include:

• W-9 collection and TIN verification

• Banking details for direct payment

• Agreed payment terms (net 15, net 30, on completion)

• Insurance verification if required

Trying to collect a W-9 from a DJ at 2am after their set is not a process. It's a liability.

3. Set Your Payment Terms Before the Work Starts

Ambiguous payment terms are the number one source of vendor disputes in hospitality. Be explicit:

• When vendors will be paid (immediately, net 7, net 30)

• How they'll be paid (direct deposit, check, platform)

• What documentation is needed (invoice format, PO numbers, approval process)

Put it in writing. Both sides should know exactly what to expect before any work begins.

4. Build Your Event Budgets by Vendor Category

Break your spring calendar into events and build vendor budgets for each. Common categories for hospitality events:

• Talent and entertainment: DJs, live musicians, performers, hosts

• Production: Sound, lighting, staging, AV

• Staffing: Security, bartenders, servers, event staff

• F&B suppliers: Beverage distributors, catering, specialty food vendors

• Operations: Cleaning, waste removal, equipment rental

• Marketing: Photographers, videographers, social media, PR

Knowing your total vendor spend per event—before it happens—is the difference between profitable programming and bleeding money all season.

The Cash Flow Trap

Spring event season has a predictable cash flow pattern that catches operators every year:

1. February-March: Heavy deposits going out (venue holds, talent bookings, equipment reservations)

2. April-May: Events start, ticket revenue begins, but vendor invoices pile up

3. June: Revenue is flowing, but you're paying for May's invoices and June's deposits simultaneously

The operators who manage this well do two things:

They stagger payment terms. Not every vendor needs to be net-immediately. Negotiate net 15 or net 30 with suppliers who can flex, and reserve instant payment for the contractors who expect it (talent, freelance staff).

They separate event revenue from operating cash. Ticket sales from an April event shouldn't be funding March deposits for a different event. Keep event P&Ls clean.

Streamlining the Approval Workflow

When events are running back-to-back, invoice approval bottlenecks kill vendor relationships. A sound engineer shouldn't be waiting three weeks to get paid because the GM was traveling and nobody else could approve the invoice.

Set up your approval chain now:

• Under $500: Auto-approve or single approver

• $500-$2,500: Manager approval

• $2,500+: Owner or finance approval

Define backup approvers for when primary approvers are unavailable. During event season, someone is always on-site, in transit, or asleep. The workflow needs to work without a single bottleneck.

Why This Matters for Vendor Retention

The best contractors in hospitality—the reliable security teams, the talented DJs, the production crews who never miss a detail—they have options. Especially in spring when everyone's booking.

They choose to work with venues that:

• Pay on time, every time

• Have a clear, professional onboarding process

• Don't make them chase invoices

• Communicate payment timelines upfront

Your payment process is part of your reputation. Vendors talk. The venues known for smooth payments attract better talent at better rates.

Get Set Up Before the Rush

Cleo Pay was built for exactly this moment. Onboard every vendor with a single shareable link—W-9, banking details, and tax verification handled automatically. Approve invoices from your phone. Pay contractors instantly or on your terms. Track every dollar by event, vendor, and category.

By the time your first spring event rolls around, your payment infrastructure is already running. No spreadsheets. No chasing paperwork. No surprises.

Spring is coming fast. Schedule a quick demo to see how Cleo Pay can get your vendor payments locked in before event season starts.